Page 50 of Bearly Bewitched

“I think,” Madame Zephyrine observed with twinkling eyes, “this calls for celebratory tea. With extra cookies.”

“And wine,” Neve added. “Definitely wine.”

“It’s barely morning,” Burke protested.

“We just fought off shadow creatures and saved the academy from ruin.” Neve’s grin turned mischievous. “I think we can bend the rules about appropriate drinking hours.”

Vail barely heard their banter. Her attention had fixed on Kaine as he emerged from the academy’s main entrance. He’d been helping secure the lower levels, making absolutely certain no corruption remained to threaten their students. His shirt was torn and stone dust still clung to his hair, but she’d never seen anything more beautiful.

All her carefully constructed reasons for keeping emotional distance suddenly seemed ridiculous. Life was too precious, too uncertain, to waste time being afraid of feelings this strong.

She moved before conscious thought, practically running across the courtyard. Kaine turned at her approach, his expression shifting from surprise to something that made her heart race. She launched herself into his arms with enough force to make him step back, but his grip was sure as he caught her.

“Well, well.” His voice rumbled with amusement and deeper emotion. “What happened to maintaining professional distance?”

“Professional distance can go jump in the lake.” She wound her arms around his neck, pressing closer. “I almost lost you today. Almost lost everything. And all I could think was how stupid I’ve been, wasting time being afraid of this. Of us.”

His hands tightened on her waist. “Vail?—“

She kissed him before he could finish, putting every ounce of previously guarded feeling into it. His response was immediate and devastating, lifting her clear off her feet as he deepened the kiss with hungry intensity. Her magic surged in response to his bear’s protective claiming, creating a bubble of warmth around them both.

Someone—probably Romi—whistled. “About time!”

“Get a room, you two!” That was definitely Sabine, her voice rich with laughter.

“Technically,” Neve called out, “she owns the whole academy. So this is her room.”

Vail broke the kiss just enough to rest her forehead against Kaine’s, breathing him in. “I love you,” she whispered. “I should have said it days ago. I love how steady you are, how you support me without trying to control me. How you protect everyone around you while still respecting their strength.”

His golden eyes darkened with emotion as he set her carefully on her feet, keeping her close. “I love you too. Enough to have waited as long as you needed. But I have to admit—“ His smile turned wicked. “I like this development much better.”

“If you’re done being disgustingly adorable,” Romi called out, “Madame Zephyrine mentioned cookies. And wine!”

“It’s not even noon,” Burke protested again.

“After the morning we’ve had?” Clover was still tucked against Rook’s side. “I think we’ve earned it.”

Kaine’s laugh rumbled through his chest where Vail pressed against him. “What do you say, Headmistress? Ready to be disgustingly adorable over breakfast with our family?”

Family. The word settled warmly in her chest as she looked around at their gathered friends. At Romi perched on Xabir’s shoulders, at Sabine and Ren’s quiet intimacy, at Rook pretending he wasn’t completely wrapped around Clover’s finger. At the twin elders already planning celebration menus while Burke tried to maintain some semblance of proper protocol.

“Yes.” She stretched up to kiss Kaine again, just because she could. Because life was too short for holding back from joy like this. “Though fair warning—I plan to be disgustingly adorable for a very long time.”

His answering kiss tasted like promises and future mornings. Like strength shared instead of weakness feared. Like coming home.

“Come on, lovebirds!” Romi’s voice carried across the courtyard. “These cookies won’t eat themselves!”

Hand in hand, they followed their laughing friends toward Madame Zephyrine’s house. But Vail tugged Kaine to a stop just outside the door, needing a moment alone with him. The morning sun caught gold flecks in his eyes as he looked down at her with such tenderness it made her throat tight.

“I need to say something,” she began, lacing their fingers together. “When I saw you charging through those shadow creatures today, putting yourself between danger and everyone else... I realized something. I’ve spent so long thinking that loving someone would make me vulnerable. That it would somehow diminish my strength as headmistress.”

His free hand came up to cup her cheek. “Vail?—“

“Let me finish.” She leaned into his touch, gathering courage. “But watching you today, seeing how your strength supported mine without trying to overshadow it... I realized I’ve had it backward all this time. Love doesn’t make us weaker. It gives us something worth fighting for.”

His smile was soft but his eyes blazed with emotion. “I would have waited as long as you needed. You know that, right?”

“I know.” She stretched up to brush her lips against his. “That’s part of why I love you so much. You never pushed, never demanded. You just... stayed. Steady and strong and patient.” Her voice wavered slightly. “Even when I was too scared to admit how much I needed that. Needed you.”

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